


Red-Eyes & Tired Minds

by bri_notthecheese



Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-04-17 04:27:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14180592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bri_notthecheese/pseuds/bri_notthecheese
Summary: Rafe's having trouble sleeping. Nadine's out of town and he misses her.In the same AU-verse as my work "And So Were They," but can be read independently.





	Red-Eyes & Tired Minds

**Author's Note:**

> I had a lot of trouble falling asleep earlier this week and this idea popped into my head, so I figured I'd share it with this tiny fandom (though I feel it's practically non-existent at this point tbh).

Rafe flipped over to his other side. Annoyed.

He’d been at this for hours already, sleep just barely eluding him. He glanced at the clock. 3:04. Perfect.

He sighed, yanking the covers above his shoulders as he tried to get comfortable for the fiftieth time. He knew it was impossible, but somehow the bed felt different when Nadine was away. Their mattress was a special type of memory foam, so theoretically, one couldn't feel the movements (or lack thereof) of another person on it, but still, he knew.

The cooking channel droned on in the background. He’d already watched three programs since he turned it on at midnight, hoping it would lull his mind to sleep. Now he’s got a handful of recipes he’d like to try out, one of which he thinks he’ll cook for her when she gets home later, but sleep is still so far away.

His body _wants_ to sleep, of course. And his eyes are so fucking tired. In the few, chopped-up moments of fitful dozings that he’s had tonight (and had for this entire week as a matter of fact), he still manages to wake no more than thirty minutes later from when he dozed off. Definitely not sufficient sleep.

Thank God it’s Friday. Literally. Only one more day of this sleep-deprived hell and then at least he can try to rest this weekend with Nadine here, since she’s due in later today.

He can’t help but scold himself for being like this. They’ve been apart before, even after getting married. Rafe’s had business trips and he’s slept fine in the hotels—‘fine’ being a relative term because hotel beds are nothing compared to his, but he's never had the kind of restlessness he’s dealing with now. But this is the first time she’s been gone since their marriage, and maybe that’s the cause. Which leads him back to scolding himself.

He needed to stop being so fucking clingy. Rafe hated that he got like that. Call it the residual effects from being neglected as a child. Call it some kind of abandonment issue. Call it whatever the hell you like, but Rafe Adler missed his wife and he wanted to see her.

But he couldn’t.

Because of something business-related.

Fucking stupid.

All he wanted was a goddamn hug. So sue him.

Pouting, he shoved his face into the pillow harder, as if the force would magically send him to sleep. He briefly entertained taking some melatonin but dismissed it, as he would’ve had to do that hours ago if he wanted to wake up in time. He situated himself yet again and his nose caught a whiff of Nadine’s shampoo. Instinctively, he shuffled closer, resigned to the fact that this would have to do for now. He listened to the woman on the TV talk about marinating steaks, something he could easily do in his sleep, as he finally, _finally_ drifted off.

~x~

Nadine opened the door to their house silently in the early hours of the morning. The dew hadn’t yet cleared from the grass and the sun was barely peeking over the horizon. She checked the time. It was 7:15 and she was surprised to hear no noise. Normally Rafe was in the shower by this point. She slipped off her shoes and climbed the stairs, carrying her suitcase with her. As she approached their bedroom door, she could hear muffled voices.

Peeking in, she spied Rafe sprawled out across the bed, sheet and comforter in disarray. She smiled at his sleeping form as she scanned for the source of the sound. Her heart sank. The food channel meant that he had had trouble sleeping last night. He needed to get more sleep as it is.

She carefully set her bag down and shed her jacket. Grabbing a pair of shorts and a tank top, she entered the bathroom, changed clothes, and brushed her teeth. Exhausted and ready for a real bed instead of an uncomfortable chair-bed-hybrid on her red-eye, she righted the covers and slipped into the area Rafe hadn’t occupied.

She reached out and caressed his cheek. “Hey babe,” she whispered, kissing his nose. “I’m home.”

Rafe’s eyes fluttered open easily and it took only a few moments for his dreariness to be replaced with joy. “Nadine…”

He reached for her but before he could fully hook his arms around her waist, she scooted inwards, not wanting to sleep near the edge of the bed. Once settled, she allowed him to cuddle into her, latching his arms around her like a koala. She hummed in content, scratching her fingers through his hair.

She placed a kiss on his forehead. “Aren’t you normally showering by now?”

He looked up at her, a little more clarity in his eyes. “What time is it?”

“7:20.”

“Shit.”

He paused. A few moments passed before he mumbled ‘Screw it’ and rolled over to his side of the bed and grabbed his phone from his nightstand. Nadine watched as he sent a quick text before he returned to her side.

“Boss decided to abandon his employees?” she teased.

“I’ve slept like shit all week.” He pulled her closer and stole a kiss. “I want sleep and an early weekend.”

“Mmm sleep sounds nice.”

“The plane ride?”

“Fine, but you know I can’t sleep on them.”

“I do. Let's sleep then.”

“Hold on,” Nadine turned around before shuffling back into Rafe. “Much better. Needed to stretch out.”

Rafe merely hummed in agreement as he settled in as the big spoon and promptly fell back asleep. 


End file.
